Development and validation of an informational guide on preparing patients for radiological and imaging examinations

Desarrollo y validación de una guía informativa sobre la preparación de pacientes para exámenes radiológicos y de imagen

Objective:  To develop and validate an Informative Guide for healthcare teams, containing guidelines on preparing patients for radiological and imaging examinations.

Method:  Applied methodological study developed at a university hospital in southern Brazil, between 2024 and 2025. The guide was developed based on institutional recommendations, scientific evidence, and the researchers’ practical experience. Content and appearance validation was performed by 45 specialists; the instrument was structured and administered via a digital platform. Agreement was assessed by the percentage of consensus among the specialists.

Results:  The guide was developed with 71 pages, covering guidelines for preparation for 60 types of radiological and imaging examinations. The validation showed an average agreement rate of 95.8%, indicating clarity, relevance, and applicability of the material. The suggestions contributed to improving the content, language, and layout.

Conclusion:  The guide was validated with a high degree of agreement, proving to be a suitable tool to support healthcare teams in preparing patients, contributing to the standardization of guidelines, the optimization of care flows, and the improvement of care quality.

Descriptors:
Diagnostic imaging; Hospital radiology service; Radiological and imaging nursing; Information guide; Methodological study; Multidisciplinary team